Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-03
A SOLDIERS PET.

Coffee had just been served, and the
room was filled with smoke and that
genial afterglow of pleasant reminiscent
talk that always follows good dinner
where old friends have met, old friend
ships been revived, and old stories told
These men had been comrades in war,
had served under the same flag, held
the same political opinions, and suffered
the same losses. 1t seemed pleasant
now, after the lapse of years, to ex-
change experience from an easy chair,
with the best Of cigars in ones mouth
and a bottle of wine at ones elbow.
They enjoyed it keenly in their somber,
middle-aged fashion; told their stories
with gusto, drank their toast with en-
thusiasm, and listened to each others
talk with an eagerness of attention and
freshness of sympathy at once as nov
ell as it was delightful Innumerable
changes were rung upon three themes,
viz, before the war" 1.-The war" and
''since the war" We of the new gene
ration can easily imagine the style OF
talk.
Each had told his story, when our
host turned toward me and said: well,
Harrison, we are waiting for your
story"
Harrison smiled deprecatingly. gazed
into the fire, and then began the follow
ing in his soft, southern drawl: Well,
my story happened when we were in
Georgia, just outside of Marietta, and
our mess consisted Of six men-two
Georgians, one Albanian, Virgnian,
myself, and II creole with beautiful
face and tenor voice that would charm
the birds from the trees, named, singu-
larry enough, Orphee. We became
very tuneful set under his inspiration,
and exchanged musical information
with much generosity. Our favorite air
was that famous camp song. ''Tenting
on the Old Camp Ground" You should
have heard us sing it. Orphee's tenor,
my baritone, and the three other fellows
Ginning in softly. until the very pine
trees stopped whispering to listen, and
the fire burned softly in admiration,
and the war somehow did not seem SO
hard and cruel. Well, one dark night
we were sitting around the lire, discuss
ing with unwcaried enthusiasm the
prospects OF the cause, when we heard
irregular footsteps outside, and paused
in our talk to listen.
you can turn in here until further
orders" said our Lieutenant's CHEEKY
voice, and minute afterward short,
thickset man entered. He made an
apologize little bow, shook himself like
dog, and, taking off his large wide
awake, disclosed a dark, square face,
with shy, dark eyes, blue-black hair,
and a wide, firm mouth. He smiled
tenderly, giving an air of great sweet
ness to an otherwise somber face. He
sat down on n blanket, Turkish fashion,
quietly hoped he was not disturbing us,
and then dropped his eyes meditatively
on the ground. Silence reigned. We
were too disconsolate to be polite, and
so listened uneasily to the slow, indcfin-
tie STRINGS of the wind through the
trees, when suddenly a new sound
arose, as of stealthy, uncertain footsteps
coming nearer and nearer, The new
conner pricked up his ears, and his face
wore an expression almost approaching
guilt "A spy" was my first illogical
conclusion us [ rose TO my feet and
waited expectantly. The flap of the tent
stirred slightly, cautiously; the wind
rose and swept the darkened landscape;
the rained poured down with rush. as
if to give tragic significance 10 what
was to happen, for-something did hap
pen-the flap was suddenly pushed
aside, and goat walked in and went
straight to the stranger, who received
her with indescribabie tenderness of
look and gesture.
"A rum 60" said the Vrginian, I'M
der his breath.
We all agreed, but contented our
selves with staring at the strange specta-
Gle of man and a goat fondling each
other with uncouth marks of affection.
After while we resumed our lazy posi-
tons, and silently awaited further de-
velopments. The little man signed the
goat to a remote spot, where she lay
down, and then, turning towards rs,
said, as il taking up an unrepressed
thought: You see. boys, l could not
help 1t if Mamie would follow me. /
have been good 10 her, and she remem-
bers it. had to leave home secretly to
escape her, and all through the journey
felt like scoundre, and now-well,
here she is.
He stopped abruptly. without waiting
for comment, and lay down with n short
goodnight. l lay awake several hours
after the others, wondering idly as to
the probable tie which bound the new
conner to the goat, but arriving at no
solution.
From that night Parsons and his goat
became subject of never-ending specu.
lation to the mess. He was very quiet
and unobtrusive, never resenting, al
though contriving to evade impertinent
questions, and bearing everything with
a good-nature amounting to stupidity
As for the goat, she became the hapless
butt of the whole division. We called
her derisively miss Anna" treating
her with an amount of mock considera
ton that made Parsons eyes fairly
glisten with appreciation.
The second night after their arriva
we began to sine. as usual, when tht